AccessArt works to inspire & enable high quality visual arts teaching, learning & practice. Find out how we do that and how you can get involved…

AccessArt was founded in 1999 by Paula Briggs and Sheila Ceccarelli, graduates of the Royal College of Art Sculpture School. In 2004 AccessArt became a charity (Registered Number 1105049), with the aim of furthering advancement in the visual arts. AccessArt is now the leading provider of digital visual arts resources in the UK, providing inspiration and ideas to the whole community. Our reputation has been built through the vision and hard work of the directors, and the support of the creative community of over 14,000 artists, teachers and facilitators who use our resources and who also actively contribute their ideas.

In 2011, as the economic climate tightened and it became harder to secure funding, AccessArt made the conscious decision NOT to apply for any core or revenue funding, but instead to endeavour to become a self-sustaining arts organisation. A membership scheme was introduced, and for a very small fee our community was invited to join AccessArt, in return for full access to all the resources.

This membership scheme has been a success and is growing exponentially. The income raised from membership now means that AccessArt is now on its way to becoming self-funding. We are proud that we have seen exciting growth in AccessArt at a time when many arts organisations have had to cut back. As a small organisation we are incredibly efficient and able to react quickly, ensuring we keep ahead of the curve in terms of ideas and delivery. With no offices to support and a small workforce our costs are low, and yet our delivery, we think, is quite exceptional. Paula and Sheila continue to manage and direct the organisation, and in 2012 we welcomed our third member of staff, Andrea Butler, to the team, who is invaluable to us for all the work she does as membership secretary, resource creator, project coordinator and also for her passion and creative input in all areas of the site.

AccessArt really works. Based upon the idea of a “pot”, each member of the community is invited to make a small contribution (either in the form of a small monthly fee or an idea), and, due to the numbers involved, the benefits each user then receives are significant. Each week we receive emails from members of our community telling us how AccessArt has transformed their teaching, and inspired their approach.

If you haven’t experienced AccessArt for yourself please do explore www.accessart.org.uk. We hope you too will feel excited by what we stand for, and what we offer, and if you value the importance of arts in education, that you will want to play your part in helping to support the activities of AccessArt. We realise that you will already be playing a vital role in supporting the cause on a wider level (by your passion and commitment to the subject, by putting in extra hours on a voluntary basis, by supporting each other through networks etc.), but we hope you might find a level at which you feel moved to support us!

Contribute to the Inspiration Pot!
Perhaps you feel rich in ideas instead! Help make the resources on AccessArt even richer and more diverse by contributing an example of your practice to the pot. This might be as an artist, facilitator or teacher. Contributors receive £42 per resource or a years free membership. Email [email protected] with your ideas.

Thank you!and Be Inspired!

AccessArt

Join AccessArt from only £3.50 per month and enjoy full access to hundreds of resources!

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What We Are Working On!

Coming Soon: Inspire 2020INSPIRE 2020 (10 December 2019 – 22 March 2020) will be the first exhibition of work made by primary school children in the Octagon Gallery atThe Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge in collaboration with AccessArt.